monaco grand prix competition

The draw is done! The winner of the amazing trip to the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix was announced on Simon Parkinson’s show on HOT 91.9 FM. CONGRATULATIONS, Gorete Welland! One of our most loyal supporters! Thanks to everyone who made this possible, and we look forward to seeing Gorete’s photos [Read More]

Women & Men Against Child Abuse will be present at the South Gauteng High Court again on 18 December, when we finally expect to see judgment in the case of baby *Daniel. Timothy Naidoo* & Maryke Cloete* are standing trial for the horrific murder, abuse and neglect of Baby *Daniel, who died in June 2016. The case was postponed for judgment and for the lawyer representing the mother of the child to file his heads of argument, after ignoring the initial deadline to do so.

During this trial, expert testimony was heard about the unspeakable torture that the toddler was exposed to over an extended period of time. The list of injuries to his tiny body included a broken elbow, broken femur, injured ribs and a 60% body surface area partial to full thickness burns. There were 15 applications of blunt force trauma, which proved to be fatal, but only after he languished in what must have been unspeakable pain for hours. Given this shocking evidence, #WMACA hopes to see life sentences handed down to both his mother and her boyfriend.

Miranda Jordan, founding director of WMACA, has the following to say regarding this trial, which is one of the worst systematic child torture cases this organisation has monitored: "We expect to see a guilty verdict and we definitely won't be satisfied with anything less than a life sentence - for BOTH of the accused. His mother and her boyfriend are equally guilty of the torture and abuse that led to his death."

Children's Court is happening simultaneously to the criminal matter. The mandate of this court is to determine the permanency plan for the two biological children of the murder accused. WMACA are informed that the maternal grandmother is applying for foster care of the children and the paternal grandmother for visitation.

The premise of this is the Children's Act concept of "family preservation". A noble concept where some form of a function exists in a family. What this gives rise to is a need to question the absolute sanctity of family as pure biology, it is also psychology.

The layman's Nature vs. Nurture debate. Arising from this is the "Myth of the benign Granny". Were these two grandparents not either absent or present during the murder by instalments of this innocent? Additionally, were they not the mothers who raised these two murderers and what does that say for their parenting abilities? Finally, one has to ask who is assessing the suitability of these grandparents to look after children and make recommendations? Are these the same statutory agencies who failed to intervene timeously when this case was reported to them for investigation by the hospital. A delay that led to the death of this innocent baby?

So the silence from the Children's Court process about these children's future care begs questions:* Where were the grandmothers when this innocent baby was murdered in instalment?* Can those who raised murderers raise the children who survived the murderers care? * Can those to whom the abuse was reported, and failed to act, be responsible for making long-term care assessments and recommendations?

It may take a village to raise a child, it also takes a village to murder one. Either by acts of commission or omission.

Lastly, the delay in justice caused by the questionable conduct of the mother's lawyer has been reported to the Law Society. Failure to submit his heads of argument will hopefully be investigated by his peers - it is obvious that through his contempt of a court order that he has no regard for either the justice system OR civil society trying to give this baby a voice…

Women & Men Against Child Abuse are asking the public to join us and #SAABI (Shaken, Abused & Abandoned Baby Initiative) at the South Gauteng High Court on Tuesday, 18 December, in a show of solidarity against this kind of child abuse - we need to send a clear message that it is unacceptable!

The "fundamental ineptitude" of personnel involved in the case against a former AB Xuma Primary scholar patrol guard accused of abusing young girls warrants that they be assessed and urgently retraine...